Orange Crush

Although I am excited about the start of the NFL season and my favorite team, this post is not about this: 

It's about this:

I found this recipe via Pinterest, from Teresa @ Blooming on Bainbridge, and it's every bit as delicious as she promises.  I made it for our company BBQ over the weekend and it was a hit.  The recipe makes 3 quarts and evidently my ice cream freezer is a bit smaller because I had some of the mix left over.  I mixed up another half-recipe which, combined with the leftover bit, was just short of the fill line.  I made up the difference by adding a pint of heavy whipping cream.  Needless to say, the second batch was even better. 

ORANGE CRUSH ICE CREAM

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

1 c. sugar

6 cans Orange Crush or other orange-flavored soda (Substitute 1 pint of cream for 1 can of soda for a creamier ice cream.)

Pour condensed milk into large bowl, add sugar and whisk together.  Slowly pour in Orange Crush, whisking thoroughly after each can.  Freeze according to instructions for your ice cream freezer of choice.

Enjoy on a hot summer evening with good friends.

This post is linked with Inspiration on Monday, hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

This book was a mixed review for me.  I gleaned a few helpful hints, but for the most part I think the author has severe OCD.  She actually admits that "tidying up" is an obsession she has pursued since childhood.  But she has taken it to extremes.  I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that the "peculiarness" of her methods and ideas are enhanced by translation (from original Japanese) and cultural differences.  The title itself is a perfect example.  Ms. Kondo's system goes way beyond the American idea of "tidying up"

People can not change their habits without first changing their way of thinking. (p. 5)

Whether they call it organizing, de-cluttering, purging or tidying up, most of those who specialize in this area have a common theme - discard excess, then organize what is left.  Ms. Kondo puts her own spin on the idea with two phrases:  1.  "Sparks joy" - her philosophy in a nutshell is to own nothing that does not spark joy in you.  2.  When sorting and tossing, don't focus on what to get rid of.  Rather, focus on what to keep.  Spread out all belongings from a specific category (clothes, bedding, pictures) and choose your favorites to keep; the ones that give you joy. 

My issue with this theory is the number of objects I own that do not spark joy, yet I have to own them - lawn mowers, cookie sheets, cold medicine . . .  While I can be thankful that the new mower cuts the time I spend on that awful chore; or I can enjoy the results of using cookie sheets, neither of these items gets a reaction anywhere near joy.

Here are the points where Ms. Kondo and I agree:

• Finding better storage options is not the same as tidying.  "Out of sight, out of mind" doesn't apply well here.
• You must discard those things which have outlived their purpose.  I have a tendency to keep items I feel sentimental about but, truthfully, most have served their purpose and no longer "spark joy" sitting in a drawer.
• Don't save old clothes as "lounge wear".  Oops, totally guilty.  I love days when I never get out of my "lounge wear", but I feel so much better when the lounge wear is not frayed, stained, or torn.  It is worth the money to own pretty pajamas or a coordinated jogging suit (even if you don't jog).
• "My basic principle for sorting papers is to throw them all away." (p. 96)  I love that line!  I have lived by that theory for years.  However, I have learned that keeping a certain amount of paper is both convenient and required by law.  (Ms. Kondo does acknowledge that fact and tempers her own statement.)
• Don't keep gifts just for sentimental reasons.  The green ceramic vase you got as a wedding gift, the lotion in a scent you don't wear, the blouse that's too small - it is not necessary to keep (much less use) any of these items just because they were gifts. Re-gifting, however, is tacky (my opinion, not from the book).
• "Mysterious cords will always remain a mystery" Point taken.  The tangled mass of random cords for outdated technology that "I might need someday" is gone!
• Once boxes of memorabilia are packed, they will never be opened.  This advice is aimed at young people storing items at their parents', presumably, larger home to save space in their own.  They rarely come to retrieve these items.  Same applies to the half-dozen boxes I have hauled through the last half-dozen moves without opening.  I'm not sure I even remember what's in some of them.  How much joy are they sparking?
• Store all items of the same type in the same place.  Much easier to find what you're looking for if you only have to look in one spot.
• Clutter is caused by failure to return things to where they belong, therefore storage should reduce the effort required to put things away (not to get them out).  Genius!  Failure to execute a full and complete return is my biggest failing as a homemaker.  "A place for everything and everything in the general vicinity" just doesn't cut it.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure how this well this bit of brilliance translates into reality.  

These are all good points that will make life a little easier.  However, the rest of the book is what caused one Goodreads reviewer to describe Ms. Kondo as "bat-s**t crazy".  If you've got time and need a laugh, I recommend reading the reviews on Goodreads or other sites, just for the laugh! 


In general, Ms. Kondo has a relationship with inanimate objects that the rest of us rank from "a little odd" to "just plain creepy."  She unloads her purse completely every night, and repacks it every morning. She thanks her clothing, as she removes it, for a job well done.  She has rules for laundry:

 "Every item of clothing has it's own "sweet spot" where it feels just right - a folded state that best suits that item...There is nothing more satisfying than finding that "sweet spot"...It's like a sudden revelation - So this is how you always wanted to be folded! - a historical moment in which your mind and the piece of clothing connect."

"Never ever ball up your socks...The socks and stocking in your drawer are essentially on holiday.  They take a brutal beating in their daily work, trapped between your foot and your shoe, enduring pressure and friction to protect your precious feet.  The time they spend in your drawer is their only chance to rest."

But it is her relationship with books that I found most disturbing.  She started well, with the advice to discard books you have read but did not love, because it is unlikely you will reread them.  "Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love.  Isn't that image spellbinding?  For someone who love books, what greater happiness could there be?"

But when it comes to the TBR (to be read) pile, she reverts back to crazy.   

"It seems to me that people have far more unread books than they once did, ranging from three to more than forty.  It is not uncommon for people to purchase a book and then buy another one not long after, before they have read the first one."

Buy a second book before you've read the first one?  I am shocked!  So, I should read every book as soon as I purchase it?

"You may have wanted to read it when you bought it, but if you haven't read it by now, the book's purpose was to teach you that you didn't need it. The moment you encounter a particular book is the right time to read it."

All sarcasm aside, personal experience tells me differently.  Many a book has sat on my shelf, sometimes for years, awaiting it's "right time".  My reaction to a book depends almost as much on my current situation as it does on the plot or the author's skill.

Ms. Kondo realized that some of the books she was keeping because she loved them, were really only in that category because of a few phrases or passages that were memorable.  All she really wanted to save were those pieces.   

"My idea was to copy the sentences that inspired me into a notebook.  Over time, I thought, this would become a personal collection of my favorite words of wisdom."  

As a lover of beautiful words, I have a "Quotes" page here on my blog where I save favorites.  I completely understood the logic of keeping only the pieces and making space on the shelf.  She tried copying the quotes by hand into a notebook, but found it too time-consuming.  She also tried using a copy machine, but also found that time-consuming.   So she "decided to rip the relevant pages out of the book".  What? 

I can only assume that she either doesn't own a computer or is computer-illiterate, but since she managed to write a bestselling book, I find that hard to believe.  Point 1: These are books that had survived her rigid criteria for remaining in her house, books she purported to love.  Point 2:  This is the woman who refuses to roll her socks because it might cause them anxiety.  But she feels nothing about ripping pages out of beloved books?  Of denying another reader the chance to love those same words?  I guess it's a good thing I have recorded some of her words here in this post.  Maybe that will keep me from ripping up her book.

On a scale of 5 stars, this book gets 2.  One star for the helpful tidbits to be gleaned amongst the crazy.  And a second star for making me laugh out loud!

Will it Go Round in Circles

Before you read this post, stop for a moment and enjoy this little throw-back to 1973:

Did you sing along?  At least in your head?  'm sure I haven't heard that song more than three times in the last twenty years, but I knew every word.  And the words make no sense!  "Will it go round in circles?  Will it fly high, like a bird up in the sky?"  Will WHAT go round in circles?  The melody-less song or the step-less dance?  And is that part of the dance - to go round in circles?  This song certainly seems to go in circles and repeat itself, although it does have a melody.  

There is a point to all this circular talk.  Last April, I posted a review of The Grace Impact by Nancy Grace.  The book is divided into 30 daily readings, and it was my intention to write some follow-up posts pertaining to my favorite readings: 

 Over the next few weeks I will be sharing on a few of my favorite lessons from the book and how they touched me. (me - in previously mentioned post)

Life got the best of me, however, and I've been running in circles and haven't gotten it done.  So, I'm going to claim that when I said "next few weeks", I actually meant "four months from now".

I mentioned the other day that I'm reading "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo.  Part of the author's plan for decluttering life is to hold each and every item I own and gauge whether or not it "sparks joy" in me.  Only those things that spark joy should remain in my home.  I'll post a full review "shortly" (open for interpretation) but, for now, the point is that my goal has been to thin out all the stuff in my house that isn't necessary or doesn't "spark joy". The whole concept had my mind spinning with visions of the joyous and peaceful space I would soon have.  But when I tried to put the plan into motion, I was spinning my wheels.  I've been through my house several times over the past couple years and, honestly, it's as de-cluttered as it's going to get. Things may sometimes be out of place, but I'm not a hoarder.  I don't have mountains of detritus to wade through, as Ms. Kondo experiences with her clients.

So, if it's not clutter and/or excess possessions, why do I have this vague feeling of unrest about my house?  Although it's de-cluttered and clean enough - the beds are made, the dishes are washed, the craft projects are confined to the craft room (mostly), the floors have seen a mop/vacuum in recent history - it never seems to be as "together" as I would like.  I never seem to be as together as I would like.  The answer was depressingly obvious - I don't manage my time and/or energy effectively.  I'm always rushing at the last minute, and disappointed at the end of the day that there's still a stain on the kitchen linoleum next to the dog dish*, the last load of laundry is sitting in the dryer wrinkling, and the weeds are taking over the garden.  I don't need to de-clutter my house, I need to de-clutter my schedule.  I need to de-clutter my mind. 

Ok.  Now I'm on to something.  Put down the smart phone and pick up a pencil.  Make a list:

1.  Clorox spot by dog dish
2.  Fold clothes
3.  Weed the garden
4.  Write blog posts you promised 4 months ago.

Now prioritize those items:  

1.  I'm out of Clorox.  Add it to the grocery list. (check)  
2.  Restart dryer to de-wrinkle clothes.  (check)
3.  Check weather app - 87 degrees, 80% humidity.  The weeds aren't that bad. (check)
 4.  Ok - blogging moves to the top of the list. I found my notes on The Grace Impact, and randomly selected one of the passages I had marked:  Day Sixteen - The Dashboard of Life.

In connecting the dashboard of a car to the dashboard of my life, Nancy likens the speedometer, which measures how fast we are traveling, to time management.  Well, that's appropriate!  

"We have given our busyness a different name - multitasking.  Renaming it doesn't alleviate the stress; it causes more."

I recently read (and I apologize that I can't remember where) that "multi-tasking" is actually just dividing our attention between two things and focusing on neither.  If multi-tasking was really possible, we would all be texting and driving successfully.   

The next dial on our dashboard is the fuel gauge.  In order to accomplish the tasks on my to-do list, I need to be well fueled.  Proper fuel includes several components, but the number one priority is my relationship with God.  A large part of that relationship is - you guessed it - time.

"Beginning the day with reading the Bible and devotionals gives your mind and soul a God-centered focus.  This habit is more beneficial than checking the news or your Facebook page, as it can set your heart and mind at peace for the day."

Pick up my phone before I pick up my Bible?  Would I do that? (I'm trying hard not to look guilty, but I don't think I'm pulling it off.)  Which brings me full-circle.  I need to "tidy up" all the clutter that comes between my intention to live a life of fellowship with, and service to, God; and the accomplishment of that goal.  Nothing else can spark that kind of joy.

In the next few days  Over the coming weeks  Eventually, I will share more of my favorite lessons from The Grace Impact.  In the mean time, you can get your own copy at Barnes and Noble or other booksellers.

* Feeding dogs in the kitchen sparks a rant long enough to be a separate post, but in this small house, there is legitimately no other place for it.

Re-Readathon

From September 7th through September 20th, break out all your favorite books and re-read.  Bex at An Armchair by the Sea is hosting a Re-Readathon.  The rules are simple:

• Re-read old or new favourites at some point during the two weeks. Link up reviews or discussions via the link in the starting line post.
• Use #rereadathon on Twitter and Instagram to share the rereading love. 
• Enter mini-challenges and give-aways.

My TBR-R (to be re-read) pile includes Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen; The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marcia Moyer; and at least one of The Cat Who . . . series by Lilian Jackson Braun; and the Mitford series by Jan Karon.  

What are your favorite books to revisit?

The Return of the Bag Lady

I think I may be a bagaholic.  But since there are no twelve-step programs for that - yet - I'll just keep sewing.  This time I got hooked on the Tulip Purse.  I purchased the pattern at a local quilt shop, but I have seen it available on-line as well.  The pattern comes with four sizes and is moderately easy to make. 

My first Tulip purse was a size small, but it's plenty big enough for what I usually carry.  I really like this bag because it is sturdy (thanks to iron on fleece) and opens wide to avoid digging for things.  The only change I would make would be the length of the closure flap.  I used a magnetic closure - the button is just for decoration - and I should have shortened the flap and put the magnet closer to the top of the purse.   I like to keep my cell phone in the outside pocket, and the way that the flap overlaps the top of the pocket makes it inconvenient. 

 My second bag was from the petite size pattern.  I used a loop and button closure on this one but I much prefer the magnet.  The pink trim along the top of the pocket was my own addition.  I just thought the "Zentangle" fabric needed a splash of color.  The pattern also comes in large and jumbo - but I haven't tried them yet.

In my first Bag Lady post, I mentioned making the Updated Classic Duffle for Amanda, but I forgot to take a picture of the finished bag before she went home.  I remembered it while I was visiting her recently, so here's her duffle bag.  This is a super easy way to install a zipper in a fully lined bag.   For details, refer back to the original post.

My niece, Kate, spent a weekend with us and she wanted to sew.  This was rather spur of the moment, so I didn't have anything planned, but we found enough coordinating fabric to make pillowcases.  Kate did a wonderful job!  This is only her second time sewing.  

Kate made the medallion print and I used a retro Christmas print.

And I saved the best for last - doll blankets to be distributed (along with a doll) to abused and neglected children.  I had several packages of pre-cut 2 1/2" squares, so when I heard about this opportunity to donate doll blankets, I decided they would be quick and pretty. I sorted the squares according to color and added borders from scraps I had in my stash.  I ended up making 7 quilt-tops.  The seventh one, made from all the leftover pieces, isn't pictured.  I'm using a quick method to finish them - cutting the back slightly larger than the top and folding the extra over to make the binding, then tying the quilt rather than quilting.  I already have ideas for some more simple blankets to make when these are done.

This post is linked to Needlework Tuesday, hosted by Heather @ Books and Quilts; and Inspiration Monday, hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity.

Tailor Made

Home Economics programs are becoming a thing of the past.  "Back in the day", when I was in high school, every girl learned the basics of cooking and sewing. My mom made the majority of clothes for herself and three daughters. Sewing was a nearly daily activity.  When Mom needed to serve a formal meal, she first had to clear the fabric off the dining room table and fold up the ironing board.  Sewing for your family was a common thing at that time.  Though "homemade" sometimes has a stigma of being inferior - frumpy, poorly constructed, or just that you didn't have the money for "store bought" - that was not the case.   Floor-length dresses for school music concerts, new outfits for Homecoming, prom dresses, even cheer-leading uniforms were often home made.  And I, for one, loved it. 

Mom was my personal tailor.  One of my favorite days as a child was when it was my turn to go with mom to the fabric store - browsing the giant books from Simplicity and McCalls, then wandering among the bolts of fabrics in a rainbow of colors.  I wasn't limited to those standard pre-made dresses on store racks.  I could have my dress in any color I wanted, with puffed or straight sleeves, square neck or scooped.  

When the future Hubs invited me to prom only five days in advance, I flew home to tell Mom the big news.  I'm sure the wheels immediately started turning in her head.  While I was floating on a cloud of excitement, she was figuring out how to get a dress made in that amount of time.  The answer was already hanging in my sister's closet.  Mom took apart the dress she had made for my sister two years earlier, cut it to fit me and made a few changes in the details to give it a new look.  I was thrilled!

That was by no means the first time I had worn a dress previously owned by my sister.  Having a sister two years older, we frequently had matching dresses.  When I had outgrown mine, I got hers.  I noticed that, in school pictures, I was wearing the same dress at age 4 and age 6.  I'm sure the second dress was actually Teri's hand-me-down

That's me in the center.  Ignore the hair. 

A couple years later I gave Mom nothing but a description of the dress I wanted for a special occasion - tiered skirt, two tiers solid peach, one tier peach with a small floral print, a simple top with "spaghetti" straps.  I can still picture the look on Mom's face as she realized I seriously expected this dress to materialize.  And I never doubted that she could do it with no pattern.  And I was right.  In fact, she created more than I had asked for.  The dress was actually in two pieces.  I wore the sleeveless version with a matching shawl, then she made an alternate top with long sleeves, that I wore later as part of the Homecoming court.

When I had my own daughter, I couldn't wait to sew for her.  My skills are nothing compared to Mom's, but I could handle a sun dress.  The local fabric store was long out of business, so I went to Wal-Mart and was stunned.  Patterns cost $6-$8.  Add the cost of fabric, thread and notions, and a simple dress for a 3-year-old cost around $15.  I could walk across the store and buy one already made for half that.  But I still wanted to sew for my daughter, so I bought the supplies and made the most adorable dress - white with red lady bugs, little bows on the shoulder straps and on the pocket.  Amanda refused to put it on!  She had her own fashion opinion - even at 3.

A mother who was a talented seamstress was one of many favorite parts of my childhood. Here's a few more shots of me modeling mom's creations.  

My sister, Teri, and I in our Christmas dresses.

I remember this one clearly.  I loved the changeable scarf!

And yes, there really was a point in history when flesh-tone glasses were "in".

 And here's the whole clan. 

 I believe Mom made all three jumpers my sisters

 and I are wearing, as well as her own dress.

This post is linked up with "Inspiration on Monday", hosted by Trish @ Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity.

Sprucing, Spiffing and Gussying

I have embarked on a couple projects to spruce, spiff and gussy up our house.  Project #1:  The continued mission to declutter and simplify the house. I have gotten rid of a lot of "stuff" and neatly arranged what is left. "A place for everything and everything in it's place."  

Were you to walk into our home, I don't believe you would call it "cluttered" (except maybe that stack of stuff on the end of the kitchen table that just never seems to find a home).  However, I find that my organizing doesn't stay that way for long - usually because an item's "place" may be in bin #5 of a stack of bins - so the item gets temporarily laid on top  ("I'll put that away correctly in a minute").  Then it's in the way when I need to get an item out of bin #2, so it gets moved (temporarily) to a nearby counter. Uh-oh, company is coming and I'm in a hurry, so it gets shoved into a drawer to get it out of sight . . .  According to Ms. Kondo, this phenomenon happens because I still have too much stuff, I just now have it in bins.  Once I finish reading the book, I'll report back on my progress.

Project #2:  It's time for our furniture and decor to get an update.  Not possessing the winning Lotto ticket, I'm working on it in stages.  We have a friend who has a design business in Colorado, so I have been consulting with her about changing color schemes and working with what I have in the mean time.  When we started, I knew that I want Mid-Century Modern and/or Craftsman styles -  and aqua.  Not much for a designer to go on, is it!  Connie (the designer) suggested an orange/red, and shades of yellow to compliment the aqua.  I wasn't sold at first.  Those aren't my usual colors!  But isn't that the whole point?  

The light dawned the next time I was browsing my basket of favorite fabric purchases. Take a look at some of the fabrics that have followed me home recently:

These were all purchased before I started thinking about redecorating. Maybe I like Connie's color combinations more than I realized!

So far, my revamp has consisted of purchasing two vases and a small side table that was multi-clearanced to $9, making a table runner, and a whole lot of window-shopping.  Some items we already have are getting repainted or recovered, but the first major purchase will be a replacement for hubs' old-faithful recliner.  Warning newlyweds: Do not try this at home.  This is a shopping trip that should only be undertaken with a minimum 25-year foundation for your marriage's stability.